Talk About Bad Timing
by Pink-x-Moonlight
Summary: Rory starts her junior year at Chilton and falls in love with someone she never expected... her teacher! Will their relationship escalate into something more? Or will Rory just end up getting her teenage heart broken... Read to find out! Then review.
1. The Meeting

**Talk About Bad Timing**

**Disclaimer: **No matter how hard I wish and pray, I still do not own the Gilmore Girls

**A/N: **I was trying to writesome of_Piecing the Puzzle_ but I have complete and utter writer's block for that story and don't know where to go from where I ended. I have half of a chapter written...so I promise I will finish eventually. Summer's here, so I have a lot of time to think! But anyways, I thought of this idea and thought it would be kind of cool to do, and it's not something I've read yet, so why the heck not? Okay, I will exit the rambling stage now...

**Summary: **This is a completely AU idea that popped into my head clear out of the blue. Rory starts her junior year at Chilton and falls in love with someone she would never have expected. There is no Dean and no Jess in her life; Rory is completely boy free at this point in her existence. This probably isn't what you're expecting because I'm introducing a brand new character and it's a bit unorthodox. Hope you enjoy this, please read and review!

* * *

**_Chapter One_ - The Meeting**

"It's your last night before school starts, what do you want to do? The choice is yours," Lorelai commented over lunch as her and her daughter Rory sat in Luke's Diner consuming gigantic burgers with a hunger that could rival a sumo wrestler's.

"Uh, I was thinking that sitting on the couch, watching _Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory_ and eating lots of junk while vegging in my pajamas could be perceived as a perfect last night of summer," Rory replied as the fry she was trying to dispense into her mouth beat her in battle and ended up in her lap, spraying ketchup onto her blue jeans. "Crap!" she exclaimed, reaching for a nonexistent napkin across the dingy table. After her search for a napkin was an obvious failure, she gave up and used her finger to remove the offending blob from her denim-clad thigh.

"You know, I could have gotten you a napkin," Luke said as he approached the table.

"No, that's okay," Rory replied as she wiped the ketchup on the side of her plate, "but I would love a piece of pie," she commented with an angelic smile.

"Oh, pie! Good idea honey! I like pie!" Lorelai piped in, a smile identical to Rory's plastered on her face. Luke sighed gruffly, trying to make it seem like these two adorable girls in front of him were annoying him simply by being in his presence.

"Fine, you can have pie. But I _will not_ be responsible for the imploding of your innards."

"Eww, no need to make the pleasurable pie experience into some kind of grotesque imagery!" Lorelai retorted, sticking her tongue out at the diner owner's retreating form.

* * *

"I can't believe that school starts again tomorrow!" Lane said with a sigh of disgust as she fell back onto her bed. 

"I know," Rory commented, taking a seat in hard, wooden back chair that stood at Lane's desk. "But we're almost done! Only two more years, and then we're free."

"No, you're free. I, however, will continue to live in the Kim household, impaling myself with some sort of chair."

"Oh don't be some dramatic. You'll get out, I promise."

"Let's hope so. Otherwise, I doomed to spend all eternity in my closet, listening to The Clash and praying that my mother won't discover my incessant need to rebel against every single one of her ridiculous rules," Lane replied, sitting up and running a hand through her satiny black hair.

"Are you okay Lane?" Rory asked, concerned with her friends current behavior.

"Yeah, I'm just in an anti-everything mood today."

"Are you sure?"

"Yup, I'll be fine tomorrow. I'm just not too much fun right now," Lane said with a sigh.

"Okay, well I've got to meet my mom. It's another Wonka night. Do you want to come?" Rory asked, standing up from the chair she was sitting in.

"Nope, I'm good. Thanks though. Have fun," Lane commented with a smile.

"Alright, I'll see you tomorrow then. Bye Lane," Rory called as she exited the room, walked briskly down the stairs, and out the door into the warm night. As she walked towards her house, the sunset lay in front of her. The sky was painted colors of orange, yellow, and pink, reflecting a sweet glow onto the town. Rory sighed happily as she made her way home, unaware that tomorrow she would meet someone that would change her life forever.

* * *

"Is it bad that I still feel nauseous this morning?" Lorelai asked as she dragged herself into Luke's with Rory in tow. 

"I told you that the multiple Caramello bar and Reese's combinations was a definite bad idea. But did you listen to me? Of course not," Rory replied matter-of-factly, a smug smirk on her face.

"It seemed like a good idea in theory," Lorelai whined as she took a seat at the counter. She laid her head down on the countertop, hugging her stomach. "But the aftermath of the situation was definitely anything but good. I don't think I can eat for the next week."

"Good, then I won't have to lecture you for a whole seven days," Luke commented as he caught the tail end of the conversation as he came from the back, holding a plate of blueberry pancakes.

"Pancakes!" Lorelai exclaimed perkily, lifting her head from the table, seemingly forgetting about the agonizing pain she was just in.

"Mom!"

"Lorelai!"

"No!" Rory and Luke exclaimed at the same time.

"Mom, you were just whining incessantly about the state of your 'poor, little stomach' as you called it back at the house. Pancakes are probably a bad idea."

"No, I'm fine now, I promise. It was just a fluke." Rory shook her head and laughed.

"Lorelai, I am not giving you pancakes," Luke said, standing his ground.

"Please Luke! I'll give you a dollar!" she replied desperately, a devious smile on her face.

"They cost $3.50."

"Oh, well. You love me!" Lorelai said, searching for something, anything that would get her those pancakes. Rory watched on as her mother begged, pleaded, and beseeched her way through Luke's rough exterior, trying to find a way to get pancakes. Suddenly, she looked down at her watch and realized she had to go now or she would miss her bus.

"Mom, I've got to go! Luke, can I have some coffee, please?" With a disappointed sigh, Luke quickly poured her some coffee in a to go cup and handed her a cherry danish.

"Here you go," he said, "I don't want you to starve on your first day of school."

"Thanks Luke," she said with a smile, "I'll see you later, Mom," she told Lorelai as she kissed her on the cheek and bolted out the door.

* * *

Some coffee, a danish, and forty minutes later Rory arrived at school. She stepped off the bus with her backpack in tow, ready for another school year to begin. Somehow, Chilton didn't seem quite as large as it did her first day of school. She smiled mildly as she made her way into the stone building, prepared for anything.

* * *

"Hello, Gilmore," Paris greeted Rory, the smile on her face grim and bleak. It was quite obvious that Paris still would not be Rory's friend. With a sigh, Rory opened her locker that, unfortunately, was right next to Paris'. 

"Hi Paris," Rory replied. "How was your summer?" she asked pleasantly, trying to make sure that the animosity between the two would not escalate. Rory didn't think she could take yet another year of being tortured by Paris.

It was obvious that torment was exactly what she would have to endure due to the fact that Rory received nothing in return from her act of amiability except an eye roll and a huff as Paris walked away from her.

"Whatever," Rory muttered to herself, not willing to let Paris get on her nerves; especially not within the first twenty minutes of the school year. She closed her locker and made her way down the hallway to her first class even though there was still ten minutes until the class actually started.

Rory walked down the hall, taking in everything about the school. It seemed very different as compared to the first time she entered these halls. With a half smile, she remembered the nerves she felt on her first day, the extreme frustration that enveloped her as she exited after her first day that entailed a new enemy and a new annoyance. But now that she had made it through her first year, she was happy to be back and take on new challenges.

Rory was shaken from her thoughts as she was bombarded by a mass in the middle of the hallway.

"Hey!" Rory exclaimed, angry that the idiot wasn't watching where he was going.

"I'm so sorry," he replied as he clasped her arms gently, "are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fi-," Rory said as she looked up at the person who had bumped into her.

Looking back at her was a tall, broad man; he was possibly the most gorgeous man she had ever seen in her life. With his strong jaw and his bright eyes, he literally took Rory's breath away. As he smiled down at her and their eyes connected, Rory couldn't help but smile back. It was as if the world stopped. All around her, the school swirled in slow motion and he and she stood, together, as time stopped and everything had a redolence of perfection.

"Sorry again," he said, seemingly unable to take his eyes off of her. He walked away, but their gaze didn't break until he rounded the nearest corner. Rory stopped and caught her breath as she leaned against the nearest locker. Never in her life had she felt like this; he had, in only a few mere seconds, left her feeling like she could die happy. After a few moments, Rory collected herself and made her way to her Calculus.

As she entered the practically empty classroom, she couldn't help but wonder why he wasn't wearing a Chilton uniform…

* * *

Rory sat in the front row of the classroom, reading her latest book as the class wandered in, one at a time or in pairs. None of them seemed too happy to be there, and not really knowing any of them, Rory chose not to acknowledge their presence. The bell rang obnoxiously, signaling the beginning of class. The students looked around and suddenly realized that they were without a teacher. Most kids began to chat excitedly, but Rory simply went back to reading her book. Five minutes later, she heard the door creak open and the sound of brown leather loafers tapping against the hardwood floor reached her ears. 

Rory looked up and her breath caught in her trachea. There he stood, the man from the hallway. Rory could hardly believe it; he didn't see her, but began to speak.

"Hey kids, sorry I'm late. I'm your new teacher, Ian Smith." he greeted them with a warm smile and then suddenly, he caught sight of Rory. Unable to move, let alone speak, Rory stared up at him, mouth gaping open. And having lost every one of her senses, her book slipped through her fingers and fell to the floor with a gentle thud.

* * *

**A/N 2:** I hope you liked it! I am also hoping that you want me to continue... if you do and you've already read the story then you're half way there! All there's left to do now is review! I love review, the make my life complete and happy. So please review and tell me what you think 

**_33333's_**


	2. Hot for Teacher

**Talk About Bad Timing**

**Disclaimer: **No matter how hard I wish and pray, I still do not own the Gilmore Girls

**A/N: **Thanks for all the positive feedback. I appreciate it more than you know!

**Summary: **This is a completely AU idea that popped into my head clear out of the blue. Rory starts her junior year at Chilton and falls in love with the unexpected. There is no Dean and no Jess; Rory is completely boy free at this point in her life. This probably isn't what you're expecting because I'm introducing a brand new character. Hope you enjoy this, please read and review!

* * *

**_Chapter Two _– Hot for Teacher**

Embarrassed by her reaction to his entrance, Rory quickly picked up her book and tucked her hair behind her ears, staring down at the floor. Mr. Smith cleared his throat, obviously stunned to see her in his first class, but pulled himself together and moved on.

"This is my first teaching gig, ever. And I know you're thinking, 'how could he possibly teach me anything?' Yes, I'm young… twenty-two to be exact, but I know what I'm talking about. I'm not going to lie; I'm a complete and total math geek. Calc is my thing, and I'll try to do my best to not give you major migraines. I'm not promising anything though. This is, after all, an advanced school, is it not?"

He continued to talk, but Rory heard nothing; it was as if she no longer knew how to speak or comprehend English. This man, the one she didn't know, even in the broadest sense of the word, had this sudden power over her that she had never known before; he was intoxicating beyond belief. Rory continued to stare at the square in front of her desk, mad at herself for choosing to sit in the front row. She was shaken out of her thoughts by the repetition of her name.

"Lorelai Gilmore?" Mr. Smith called.

"Oh, oh. Um, that's me. But you can call me Rory. Lorelai is my mom's name… but it's my name too. We have the same name. Um, yeah." Rory suddenly stopped her ramble and for the first time, looked up at Mr. Smith since the moment in the hallway. She felt so stupid and ridiculous at that very point in time she could hardly stand it. Mr. Smith was standing there, a huge smile on his face, laughing at Rory's nervous behavior.

"Nice to meet you Rory, not Lorelai, Gilmore." Behind her, Rory heard the entire class erupt in laughter. She crossed her arms and sunk down into her seat in embarrassment as Mr. Smith continued with the roll call.

* * *

Rory's first Calculus class had to be the longest fifty-five minutes of her life. She could hardly pay attention, but luckily for her Mr. Smith didn't teach anything that class. As soon as the bell rang, Rory bolted out the door and flew down the hallway to her locker. She spent the rest of the day in a daze, unable to shake the feelings Mr. Smith had helped to induce.

_"He's my teacher,"_ Rory thought to herself. _"I can't believe he's my teacher,"_ she repeated in her mind as she made her way home. As she walked up the driveway, she was surprised to see Lorelai's tan Jeep parked there.

"Mom?" Rory called as she entered the house, dropping her bag at the door.

"Kitchen!" Lorelai called. Rory strolled into the kitchen and there was Lorelai, bent over the sink, obviously struggling with some unknown object.

"What are you doing?" Rory inquired, perplexed by her mother's current behavior.

"Well," Lorelai began, wiping her brow as she stood upright and faced her daughter, "the spoon and I are fighting the garbage disposal and, needless to say, the garbage disposal is kicking our ass. Anyway, how was school? What's the dish?"

"Oh," Rory commented quietly, scuffing the toe of her saddle shoe against the linoleum tile, "nothing really. Just same old Chilton."

"Please. Don't lie to Mommy; I invented the concept. What happened that you don't want to tell me?" Rory sighed heavily and sat down at the kitchen table while Lorelai followed suit.

"Basically, it started with me literally running into the most gorgeous guy I've ever seen and falling in love with him on the spot, and ended with him walking into my first period Calc class and announcing that he's the teacher." Lorelai said nothing, but Rory could see the smile playing at the corners of her lips. "Mom! This isn't funny! I was so embarrassed." But still Lorelai did not respond. She just sat there, trying not to giggle at her grief stricken daughter. Before she could stop herself, she broke out into her own horrible rendition of "Hot for Teacher."

"Alright, that's enough," Rory exclaimed as Lorelai stood up and grabbed a spoon, using it like a microphone.

"Goodbye Van Halen!" Rory yelled over the off key singing as she stood up and walked into her bedroom, slamming the door with a huff.

* * *

As Rory exited the bus the next morning, she couldn't help but feel nervous about running into Mr. Smith outside of class. He had to know that he made her anxious; just look at the way she acted in class yesterday. She stepped off the bus, with her book in hand, as she looked around trying to make sure that he wasn't anywhere to be found. With a sigh of relief, Rory opened her book and started to read and walk at the same time; it was one of those skills that she had mastered over the last few years. Just as she was turning the corner, she felt someone run into her. She looked up, and there he was.

"Not again," Rory groaned under her breath as she inhaled his scent.

"Wow, we've got to stop meeting like this, Rory. People are going to think there's something going on between us," he said with a laugh. It was obvious that he was trying to make a joke, but Rory's anxiety had distorted her sense of humor.

"What! Why would they think that?" she exclaimed, her voice shaking ever so slightly.

"It was a joke. Calm down, I was just playing with you. It just seems coincidental that we keep running into each other, literally. I think the both of us just have a tendency to not pay attention to where we're going; that trait seems to attract us to each other."

"Oh, yeah. I know what you mean. My attention span isn't so great; I think I get that from my mom. She's always forgetting her sentences and stopping in the middle of projects. Like, there was this one time that she decided she was going to make her own seashell candles, but that just ended in lots of hot wax and dinky plastic seashells lying around for me to clean… okay I have no idea why I'm telling you this so I'm just going to shut up now." Rory ended her rant and looked up at Mr. Smith who was smiling down at her just like he had yesterday.

"You know, you're very endearing Rory Gilmore. It's nice to have a student so much like yourself. See you in class," he commented as he walked away very much like he had the day before. Rory smiled as he turned the corner, but as soon as he was out of sight, she walked away with a frown plastered to her face.

"Stupid, stupid, stupid," she muttered as she made her way to her locker.

* * *

Sixth period ends and Rory makes her way to Calculus, not sure how she should feel about it. She walks slowly, not wanting to be the first one there. With great luck, she enters the room just as the bell rings and the room is filled with students. The unfortunate thing is that there's only one seat left and it's the very same seat she sat in the class before.

_"Crap,"_ she thinks to herself, not wanting to spend the next hour sitting right in front of him, trying to take notes while she's inhaling his intoxicating scent and staring into his deep, jade green eyes; the unwanted seating arrangement makes the entire act slightly obvious and hard to complete. Rory sighs and takes the seat just as Mr. Smith stands up to begin class, flashing a very brief smile at the girl in front of him. He begins to speak, and Rory watching as his mouth forms the words, his tantalizing red lips distracting her focus and bringing her into another world.

Suddenly, someone drops a notebook next to her and she is brought back to earth. Shaking her head as to clear the air, she leans over into her bag and grabs her notebook to take notes, determined not to lose her focus again.

* * *

As the class ends, Rory gathers her things and exits the room a lot slower than she had the day before. Somehow she feels more relaxed and not quite as stupid. She's halfway down the hallway when she reaches into her bag and finds that her book is no longer there. Figuring that she left it back in Calc, she turns on her heel and makes her way back there. She stands in front of the door, nervous about going in there alone. She stares and the dark oak frame, nibbling on her lip and contemplating her behavior.

_"He's just a teacher," _she thinks to herself, _"a gorgeous, smart teacher, but nevertheless, a teacher just the same."_ A bundle of nerves, she takes a deep breathe and turns to bronze knob and opens the heavy door.

Mr. Smith, who had his feet up on the desk and was staring out the window, turns around in a flash due to the introduction of sound. He sees Rory standing there in her uniform, timidly tucking her hair behind her ear and smiling diffidently at him.

"Um, I forgot my book," Rory says sheepishly, and as she does, she sees her novel in his strong, masculine hands.

"Oh, is this yours? I thought so, but I wasn't sure," he commented as he stood up from his chair and handed the book back to Rory. "The Awakening, good choice," he remarks, leaning back against the desk.

"You've read it?" Rory inquires, surprised by his comment.

"Yeah, I really enjoy Kate Chopin. Her short stories are really good also. Have you ever read Story of an Hour? If you haven't, I suggest you do. It's short, but good."

"I have read it actually and I really enjoyed it. I kind of have an obsession with reading."

"I noticed. Every time I've seen you you're either reading a book or have one in your hand. Books seem to be your signature mark," Mr. Smith said as he cleared a place on his desk and sat there. Rory chuckled and smiled down at the floor.

"Yeah, I guess you could call them that. I've always been known as being a bookworm."

The two continued to talk, becoming more and more comfortable with each other. Fifteen minutes pass and Rory looks down at her watch.

"I've got to go or I'll miss my bus," she says as she makes her way to the door, "it was nice talking to you."

"Same here," Mr. Smith replies, smiling broadly at Rory. "I'll see you tomorrow in class." The reality that he's a teacher comes back to smack Rory in the face.

"Bye," she mumbles meekly as she exits the room. She's about to close the door as he calls out to her.

"Wouldn't want to forgot this," he comments as he holds up the book that is the very reason for the visit in the first place.

"Oh yeah, thanks," she saunters over to him and takes the book. Before she realizes it, the fingers are touching and his rough touch causes her skin to tingle. The two stare at each other for only a second and say nothing.

"You should go. I don't want you to miss your bus," Mr. Smith says as he breaks the silence and removes his eyes from her gaze.

"Yeah, you're right. See you tomorrow Mr. Smith," Rory replies as she turns on her heel and leaves the room, the warmth from his hand touching hers still causing her to shiver

* * *

**A/N 2: **Hope you enjoyed this chapter! Please R&R for it will cause my life to be complete :)


	3. The Muppets

**Talk About Bad Timing**

**Disclaimer: **No matter how hard I wish and pray, I still do not own the Gilmore Girls

**Summary: **This is a completely AU idea that popped into my head clear out of the blue. Rory starts her junior year at Chilton and falls in love with the unexpected. There is no Dean and no Jess; Rory is completely boy free at this point in her life. This probably isn't what you're expecting because I'm introducing a brand new character. Hope you enjoy this, please read and review!

**A/N:** Sorry this took awhile! I lost my muse for some time, but now I found it in my back pocket so it's back and better than ever (I hope). Well, to be completely honest I was inspired by reading some great stories on FanFic to update. I figured if the Red Sox can beat the Yankees 17-1, then I can update this story. I had to finish the chapter and it was a little rushed so sorry in advance for the few grammar errors that may occur throughout the story. Please review and inform me of these errors! Okay, so here you go... enjoy!

* * *

**_Chapter Three _– The Muppets**

"Rory!" she heard name called as she stepped off the bus. She turned her head to the left and coming towards her was her dark-haired Korean best friend literally sprinting towards her like she was trying to win the Olympic gold in the one hundred meter dash.

"Lane?" Rory replied, adjusting her backpack and feeling perplexed. "What's going on?" she inquired as Lane approached her, out of breath.

"I need to tell you something!" Lane exclaimed in between breaths.

"Um, okay. Let's sit down and you can explain to me your extremely dire news." The two friends sat on the nearest bench. "So? Are you going to tell me or are you going to pull a five year old act?"

"I met a guy!" Lane squealed, a huge smile spreading across her face. "He's cute and charming and charismatic and I am completely and totally in love with him!"

"Aw Lane, that's great! I'm so happy for you!" Rory exclaimed, extremely excited for her best friend. "What's his name? Where is he from?"

"His name is Will. Will Smith. And no, he is not the rapper slash actor from Bel Air, I promise. He doesn't even like his music. In fact, he likes all the same bands as me! We have so much in common, it is amazing. My God, Rory, I'm so excited! I haven't felt like this… ever!" Rory couldn't help but smile at her ecstatically chatty friend. "You know, I was thinking that, if you were cool with it of course, when we go into Hartford with your mom for her business class next week, we could meet up with him and I could sort of have my chance at an actual date. You could tag along if you want. It would be cool for you guys to meet and whatnot."

"Eh, I think I'll pass on the whole third wheel thing," Rory replied, "but I think that it's a great plan. You guys can have your date and I'll go off and lose myself somewhere in the bookstore." There was a pause for a moment until she thought of an inquiry. "But how is he getting to Hartford?"

"Well, he has an older brother that he spends a lot of time with that works and lives in Hartford. So he'll drop him off and whatnot." Rory couldn't help but laugh at the thoroughness of Lane's arrangement. Not that it was anything new; Lane was the queen of devising plans.

"I see that you guys have already planned every aspect of this date. Now, when did you meet him?"

"Yesterday," Lane commented with a small smile as Rory giggled at her unusual forwardness. "The thing is we really hit it off and I accidentally on purpose told him my entire life story and he still likes me. So I figure I've got a real chance here." Lane beamed and placed her hands in her lap, intertwining her fingers.

"Okay," Rory commented, "I don't want to be a downer or a pessimist, but…"

"What about my mom? I told Will about the situation and we decided that if we do this Hartford thing and think that we want to get into some type of relationship, then we'll deal with my mom." Rory nodded in agreement and leaned over to hug Lane.

"I'm so excited for you," she said, pulling away from her friend.

"Oh crap," exclaimed Lane, "it's almost time for tea with mama. I don't want to be late because I figure that sucking up is definitely to my benefit at this point in my life. I'll talk to you later. Bye Rory!" Lane stood up and took off down the street.

"Bye Lane," Rory called as she sat there and watched Lane walk away with a slight spring in her step as she examined the facts in front of her. Just as she stood up to go home, she had a revelation of sorts. "Oh my…" she muttered, her hand flying to her gaping mouth as she sat back down to analyze everything that had just been laid out in front of her. _"Last name Smith," _she thought, _"older brother who works in Hartford. No it couldn't be, could it? There are a million Smiths in this world and Hartford is a big city. I must be overreacting. Or am I?"_ Rory leaned against the back of the bench, flabbergasted by what she had been smacked in the face with. "This is way too weird," Rory mumbled to the sky as she looked up and was enveloped by the puffy white clouds that suddenly surrounded her.

* * *

"So you and Lane are definitely meeting up in Hartford tomorrow during my business class?" 

"Yup," Rory replied as her stomach did somersaults just at the thought of seeing Mr. Smith outside of school. She had somehow taken the last few days to work herself into a frenzy of sorts. She was convinced that Mr. Smith was the older brother in question and that if she had to go through the whole seeing-him-outside-of-class-and-feeling-like-a-complete-and-total-moron she would definitely be faced with a situation worse than death. The idea of throwing up all of his shoes due to nerves crossed her mind once or twice, and she definitely was not enjoying that idea; thinking about it just caused her to feel even worse.

"Hey, twitch girl. You okay in there? You kind of look as if the idea of staying in Hartford tomorrow makes you want to hurl, or better yet, become a street bum or something. What's up with that?" Lorelai questioned as she stuck a cluster of fries into her mouth.

"Oh, nothing; nothing at all. I just don't feel too great right now. My stomach is just acting up."

"Are you okay? Do you want to stay home tomorrow?"

"No!" Rory exclaimed without thinking, causing Lorelai to look slightly taken-a-back. "I mean, no that's okay. I'll be fine tomorrow. I just need some sleep is all."

"Okay…" Lorelai replied, giving her daughter a "what's going on that you're not telling me" look.

"What?" Rory asked as she realized that her mother was looking at her with her knowing stare. She wrung her hands in her lap because she knew that her mother would, before she knew it, bore a hole into her brain and find out exactly what was going on with her. "I should go," Rory said quickly, standing up from her half-finished plate.

"Already? You didn't even finish your burger yet!"

"I know, but I don't feel too hot. I'm going to go home and get some sleep." Lorelai stared into the crystal blue eyes of her daughter, unable to pinpoint where the mass hysteria was stemming from. "I'll see you later mom. You stay and finish your food. I'll be fine," Rory stated as she grabbed her coat and practically ran out the door, the bell above the off-white slab of wood ringing obnoxiously.

"What's with her?" Luke asked as he came over to Lorelai's table to refill her coffee.

"To be perfectly honest?" Lorelai replied, looking up at the flannel clad man, "I have absolutely no clue."

* * *

As Rory exited Luke's, the cool fall air blew softly against her face and she instantly felt relaxed. She took a deep breath and slowed her walk to a normal pace and her stomach began to relax. She made her way into her home and as soon as she reached her bed, she flopped down on top of it and closed her eyes with a light sigh. 

_"I really need to cool it. I'm sitting here, freaking out over the thought of possibly seeing my teacher outside of school. That can't be normal. Sure, I happen to have the world's biggest crush on him and whenever he smiles I lose my mind, but I can't let him sit around and ruin every aspect of my life. I need to be in control of my feelings and forbid him from being the cause of my insanity."_

After giving herself a little pep talk, Rory stood up and slipped into her favorite pair of pajamas. The velour pants were too long and the bottom of them were torn and ripped to show that they were used incessantly. The top was soft and warm, worn to the state of perfection. Comforted by the familiarity they provided, Rory climbed in between her sheets and snuggled underneath them as her auburn hair crowded her face and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

"Okay guys, I'll pick you up here around seven and then we'll go get some food. Don't get hit by any cars and be sure to woo the bikers and lowlifes before 6:45, just to ensure that you won't have to prematurely leave them on the account that you have to come meet the beautiful and vivacious me," Lorelai ordered sarcastically as Rory and Lane hopped out of the tan Jeep and stepped onto the concrete sidewalk as a mad woman dressed in a kick ass business suit flew past them, screaming multiple obscenities into the black mobile device that was glued to her ear. 

"Wow. I guess she had the pleasure of watching _Abandon_ this morning," Rory commented as Lane nodded with a slight giggle.

"I'll see you kids later. Have fun!" Lorelai called, pulling into Hartford traffic and making her way to her business class.

"Okay, how do I look? Do I look okay? Because if I don't look okay then you have to tell me because I don't want to look like a fool in front of him. I'm so nervous I might die and the whole looking like I just walked out of a tornado thing will not help me here," Lane rambled as she unremittingly smoothed down her perfect raven hair.

"Lane. Shush. You look perfect, this day will be perfect, and everything is perfect. Now, just take a deep breath," the sound of deep inhaling reached Rory's ears as Lane followed her order, "and lets go. Where did you tell him we'd meet him?"

"Umm," Lane replied nervously, "at the café on the corner. It's quaint, outdoorsy, and if I feel the need to puke, I can run to the bathroom. It's all very convenient. It's like Xtra Mart, only not." She sighed heavily and she and Rory made her way down the sidewalk towards the café. Rory stared down at her tan corduroy flip-flops and thought about Mr. Smith. What if he did show up with Will? What would she say? How should she react? This was all very surreal and she could hardly take it at this point. All this waiting, wishing, wondering was about to drive her mad and even her self-deprecating pep talk couldn't help her now. Pretty soon she might possibly come face to face with her biggest fear and greatest hope and her ability to accurately predict her reaction was shot and inapplicable in this situation.

"Rory? Are you okay?" Lane asked as the girls made the seemingly one hundred mile stride down the street of Hartford.

"What? Oh, yeah. I'm great. Couldn't be greater. Greater? Did I just say that out loud? I mean, I go to this fancy private school like Chilton and I can't even use English properly. Greater? What kind of word is greater? A grammatically incorrect word, that's what kind of word it is. Better is the word I was going for. Better, not greater. Greater shows my inability to learn or read or speak. What is that? Greater? Wow, do I suck at speaking or what?"

"Rory! Cool it. You would think you were the one that was meeting the love of their lives today. What it up with you? You've been acting like this ever since I mentioned this idea. What's up with that? Are you jealous or something?" Lane questioned, stopping dead still in the middle of the sidewalk as she ignored all the rude, obscene remarks thrown at them as many business people encircled them.

"Jealous? No, I'm not jealous. Lane, I'm not jealous, not in the least bit. I'm just stressed out about school is all. This year has already begun to stress me out and I guess I've just been concentrating too hard and freaking out too much. It has nothing to do with you or Will or anything. I promise you. If anything, I am more excited for you than I can even say. I can't even muster up the correct amount of words to describe, in detail, how happy I am for you. Okay? So jealous, I am not. Just stressed. That's all," Rory replied, feeling bad about the fact that she was lying to her best friend. She was stressed, and it was about school. But not in the way that Lane was thinking. But the lengthy, rambling explanation seemed to please Lane and the two continued their walk to the café.

They entered the establishment and after Lane took a hurried look around, her face fell.

"Do you see him?" Rory inquired.

"No, he's not here yet. There's a table over there, why don't we go grab it and wait for him to get here."

"You know Lane, why don't I just get out of here? I don't want to intrude on your date," Rory suggested, seemingly hesitant to sit down as they approached the table.

"Rory, no. I want you two to meet. Then you can take off and envelop yourself with books, I promise. Just stick around for awhile, please." Rory nodded, taking a seat with her back facing the door.

After a few minutes of talking and drinking coffee, Lane's face lit up dramatically, as if the members of The Clash had come through the door at that very moment. As Rory turned around to see who she assumed would be Will, she was greeted by the sight of a certain gorgeous, muscular Calculus teacher of hers. He smiled brightly as soon as he caught her eye and made her way over to the table with a cute boy who looked to be the same age as Rory.

"Hey Lane," the boy said nervously as he approached the table.

"Hey Will," Lane replied, sounding equally nervous. "Rory, this is Will. Will, this is Rory."

"Hi," she said faintly, her eyes still on Mr. Smith.

"And this is my brother, Ian," Will replied.

"Nice to meet you Lane," Ian said with a charismatic smile in Lane's direction. "Hi Rory. Fancy meeting you here." Rory continued to stare, unable to speak or move or function. This was her worst fear come true and to make matters worse, she only made one sound in response to Ian's acknowledgment.

She let out a barely audible and very muppet-like "meep."

_"God, could this get any worse?"_ she thought, reprimanding herself for her ability to revert back to her childhood at this point in time.

"Do you two know each other?" Will asked as he and Lane looked at each other, confused.

"Yeah," Ian replied, "she's my student."

And to Rory's pleasant surprise, he said "student" like it was the most terrible truth in the world.

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**A/N2: **So there it is, installment three of **Talk About Bad Timing**. Thanks for all the reviews I've gotten, they have been awesome. You guys rock! 

And now that the chapter has come to an end, it's time for you to review. please. I will love it. You could write anything of any random nature such as "dsihsgdhjdg" and I would still greatly appreciate the time you took to write that. Reviews complete my life. I will be for indebted, I promise. just review. thankssss ((big smile))


	4. The Edith Wharton Debate

**Talk About Bad Timing**

**Disclaimer: **No matter how hard I wish and pray, I still do not own the Gilmore Girls

**Summary: **This is a completely AU idea that popped into my head clear out of the blue. Rory starts her junior year at Chilton and falls in love with the unexpected. There is no Dean and no Jess; Rory is completely boy free at this point in her life. This probably isn't what you're expecting because I'm introducing a brand new character. Hope you enjoy this, please read and review!

**A/N: **Okay, okay. I know I haven't updated in a bajillion years. And to top it all off, I don't think this chapter makes up for the fact that I've been MIA for the last couple weeks. Honestly, this is a filler chapter and I think it's bad but I needed a transition piece and this was the best I could do. I know, I know, you hate me. But if I let you swat me with a ruler, do you think you could find it in your heart to forgive me?Life has been crazy lately between my new job and college hunting and vacation and life in general so here you go. The next chapter will be so much better, I promise. There's probably three or four chapters left in this series and I know exactly where I want to take them, so hopefully you won't have to wait too long. So now that I've probably caused you to lose interest in this story and click the "back" button on your internet server, here is the four installment of Talk About Bad Timing _The Edith Wharton Debate..._

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_**Chapter Four:** The Edith Wharton Debate_

"Rory?" Lane asked, trying to pull her best friend out of her zombie-like trance.

"Oh, hi. Um. Yeah… have fun! I'm going to go now. Bye," Rory called as she hung her head, sprinting blindly out of the café, a feeling of extreme embarrassment overwhelming her body.

"What was that all about?" Will asked as Lane stared at her friend's retreating form as she took off down the street.

"That…was strange," Lane commented, extremely perplexed by Rory's peculiar behavior. She turned to Ian and, trying to use her manners, tried to cover up for the awkward silence that was encroaching on the situation. "So you're Rory's teacher? That's cool… I hope she doesn't always act like that in class."

"No, she's usually not so deer-in-headlights. I think she was just freaked out about seeing her teacher outside of school. I'm sure it's the last thing she wants.

"Yeah," responded Will, "and it's the last thing _I_ want, too." He nodded suggestively towards the door at Ian.

"And… that's my cue. I'll you back here around 6:45ish?"

"Yup, I'll see you then."  
"Okay, I'm out. Nice to meet you, Lane. If he gets fresh, just slap him one," Ian commented sardonically. With a ruffle of Will's hair, Ian exited the café and headed towards the nearest bookstore.

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Rory wandered aimlessly around the bookstore, breathing in the smell of new books and watching as the colorful bindings blended together in a rainbow effect. Rory loved everything about the bookstore; the rows of tall walnut bookcase, the roaring fires surrounded by brown leather wingback chairs, and the fact that you could sit and read for hours without being bothered by a single soul. Rory grabbed a leather-bound copy of The House of Mirth, and plopped down in the nearest chair. She was about twenty pages into the book when she was startled by the introduction of a familiar voice in her ear.

"I was never much of an Edith Wharton fan. Did you ever read Ethan Frome? What a terrible book." Rory turned around and there was Mr. Smith, looking more gorgeous than ever. His worn, faded jeans fell baggily around his hips and his burnt orange sweater was just fitted enough to give Rory a glimpse of his pectorals. Rory was going to continue to stare until she actually had an intellectual thought.

"But, you can't judge Edith solely on Ethan Frome. I totally agree with you; it is a terrible novel. But it's so unlike the rest of her cosmopolitan novels. Did you even give Mirth a chance? Choosing Ethan as your first Wharton was probably a bad move," Rory rambled with a feeling of satisfaction. This she could do; books were her thing.

"Who said it was my first Wharton?"

"Well, I just assumed. It seemed that you based all your opinions of Wharton on one novel so most people would think…"

"But you're not most people," Ian cut her off.

"True. But I guess my brain just assumed the obvious."

"Well, you know what they say about people who assume things."

"Oh, do I?" Rory bantered

"You do," Ian commented knowingly.

"I guess I just made an ass of myself then." As soon as Rory said it, she could not believe that she had gone from behaving like a frigid imbecile to a witty, self-confident girl in so little time. It seemed that Lorelai's flirtatiousness had finally started to shine through in Rory's personality. "Wow, I can't believe I just said that," she commented quietly, sinking back into the accepting, plush cushion.

"Honestly? I can't believe it either," Ian stated, seemingly flabbergasted. "You seem far too innocent to ever utter a word like 'ass.' Especially to a teacher,"

"Now look who's making assumptions," Rory commented, trying to lead the conversation away from her last statement.

"Yeah, I guess so. What hypocrite I am," Ian claimed facetiously, flashing a half smile at Rory that warmed her insides. Ian flopped casually into the chair opposite of Rory and began to twiddle his thumbs.

"So," he said after a few moments of awkward silence, "my brother and your best friend. What are the odds?"

"I know. It all seems a tad too ironic."

"Yup… I know what you mean," Ian replied as he traced absentminded circles into the arm of his chair.

"With us having the relationship we do…" Rory trailed off as Ian looked up suddenly, seemingly surprised. "I mean! Not that we have a relationship! It's just that we're student and teacher, and I wouldn't expect us to be paired up in a non-school environment! Not that we're paired up. We've just been coupled together in an odd way…" as Rory's mind slipped back into panic mode, she looked up as she tried to end her ramble and saw that Ian was leaning his chin against his hand, his eyes flickering with amusement as he gazed at her intently. Rory's breath caught in her throat and she smiled shyly. Suddenly, Ian snapped out of his daze and was brought back to earth. He shook his head as if he were trying to rid his head of its thoughts of Rory.

"Off visiting Captain Spock, were you?" Rory asked with a nervous, yet sarcastic, smirk.

"Yeah, something like that. I'm going to get some coffee. Do you want some?"

"That's like asking if Jessica Simpson thinks tuna is chicken," Ian looked at Rory, perplexed, "the obvious answer is yes. You might as well have asked me if I remembered to breathe this morning."

"So I take it you're a coffee lover?"

"No, I'm a coffee worshiper. Without coffee, I would currently be lying in a ditch mumbling incoherent phrases like 'sea monkey's got my money.' Coffee is my elixir of life, my reason for living. Without it, my mother and I would be nowhere, lost in a translucent world of coffeelessness."

"Now I see that coffee is what feeds your ability to ramble," Ian commented with a laugh.

"Indeed it does. It's just yet another trait my mother has passed on to me,"

"And I'm also guessing that your mother is the most important person in your life."

"Well, let's put it this way. If it weren't for her, I would be another rich, high society Chilton snob. And what kind of world needs another one of those, right?" Rory replied proudly as she stood up from her chair and smoothed the front of her jeans.

"Right," Ian responded inaudibly as he followed Rory down the aisle, watching as she retreated away from him.

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**A/N 2: **I know it's short and I know that it's a filler, but I hope against hope that you still want to read my story because the next chapter will be better. Oh yeah, I do not own Edith Wharton's works or that line from Finding Nemo, even though I own the DVD because I'm five and love that movie. Yay. I do, however, support the opinion of Ethan Frome presented in this chapter and I'm sorry if I offended anyone. But yeah, read my next chapter. And please REVIEW. Even if it says "this story is a steaming pile of crap" I will still love you for it. 

Voila :)


	5. Talk About Bad Timing

**Talk About Bad Timing**

**A/N: **drummroollll pleassee! okay, after a very long absence, I have finally returned with another installment of Talk About Bad Timing. since the last time I have updated, I have been off in Europe gallavanting with beautiful men and working with the secret service... only not really. I've just been living my silly life and being extremely busy with school and college applications and everything. Senior year is going pretty badly but that's okay because I have my fanfiction and I decided that the only way to feel better is to update the story that I have the PERFECT ending in my head, but all the middle fluff is going roughly. But I have chapter 6 in the works, it's almost done and I'm proud. Although this chapter could be a million times better, I think it does the story justice. It's an important point in the story, but it's also very short and sweet.You'll survive., I promise. At least I'm updating, right? Umm sooo basically don't hate me for taking so long, and I **promise** the next chapter is not that far away. If not, I give you permission to come after me with pitchforks and daggers as you yell angry Cantonese chants. It'll be fun to watch, actually. Someone videotape it for me please. And send me some Rolos while your at it. Oo, caramel... yum...

**Disclaimer: **Not mine. I wish I wish I wish. But not.

**Summary: **Basically? Rory + gorgeous Calculus teacher trouble... or does it? Hmm, I guess you'll have to read on and see

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**_Chapter Five:_ Talking About Bad Timing, huh?**

"What can I get you two?" the café cashier asked cheerily as Rory and Ian approached the counter.

"The biggest coffee you have, black," Rory replied hurriedly. Ian gave her a sidelong glance and smirked before ordering the same thing – plus some milk. "Go ahead and grab a table," Rory told Ian, "I'll wait for the coffees."

"Okay," Ian replied strolling off towards the window. The cashier approached Rory with two large Styrofoam cups in her hands. She smirked at Rory and then glanced over at Ian.

"You guys make a great couple," she commented. Suddenly, Rory felt her face blush a deep shade of crimson."

"We're, uh, - we're not a couple," Rory stuttered in return.

"Really? From the way he was looking at you, I would have sworn you two were together. My bad, I guess. Enjoy your coffees," she smiled one last time and turned on her heel and walked away. But Rory could have sworn she heard her mutter "fool" under her breath as she vacated.

Willing herself to stop blushing, Rory grabbed the coffees and walked over to the table Ian had chosen. Afternoon sunlight streamed in through the window as the sun slowly began to set. Dust danced in the light as Rory took her seat and slid Ian's coffee toward him. It took so much courage for her to lift her head, but she finally did. Ian was drinking his coffee intently and staring absentmindedly out the window.

"Deep in thought?" Rory asked with a hint of sarcasm. Mid-swallow, Ian smiled at Rory, puffing out his cheeks in a chipmunk-like way and Rory burst out laughing. Together, the sound of their hysterics echoed throughout the establishment. The cashier, who had recently reappeared, smiled knowingly at the couple as they continued to laugh.

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They talked for what seemed like minutes while the sky turned shades of pink, purple, and orange and Rory's phone rang, blasting out the ring tone version of Jack's Mannequin's "The Mixed Tape."

"Hello?"

"Rory? Where are you? It's quarter past six!" Lorelai responded.

"Oh my gosh! I'm so sorry mom. I completely forgot. I was in the book store and got caught up in this novel…" Rory glanced over at Ian, who wasn't at all shocked by Rory's need to lie to her mother about what she was doing. "Okay, I'll be right there," Rory said, hanging up the phone. "I've got to go. My mom is waiting for me. I'll see you tomorrow. Bye Ian – I mean, Mr. Smith." Rory gazed at him and the two maintained eye contact for just a moment. But with that moment, without any words, their relationship immediately reached an entirely different level.

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As Rory made her way into school the next day, she didn't know what to do or think. She was dreading Calculus, simply because of the way she melted into a puddle when Ian came into sight. Stir in yesterday's events and Rory knew she had a full-blown catastrophe on her hands; her feelings and the constant pounding of her heart could only lead to trouble, and lots of it.

Unfortunately, last period came a lot quicker than Rory had anticipated. When she slipped into class just as the bell rang, she was relieved to see that Ian has yet to have shown up. Instead of her usually seat, front row center, she walked to the back row, the seat all the way to the right; the farther away from him Rory was, the better. The entire class buzzed with a slight murmur as private conversations developed around her. Rory just sat quietly, pulled a book out of her backpack, and prayed to God that no one could hear the sound of her heartbeat increasing in pace.

The longest five minutes of Rory's life passed and finally she heard the sound of the heavy, oak door creak upon. Petrified to look up, Rory kept her head buried in the pages of her novel. It wasn't until she heard the sound of a woman's voice that she lifted her head in surprise.

"Hello. My name is Mrs. Van Buren. Mr. Smith is not here today, so I'll be subbing for your class. However, since I know nothing about Calculus and he left no work, this is your free period to do whatever you like… as long as it's legal and it pertains to school." The class buzzed excitedly and Rory all of a sudden felt like she could breathe again. For the first time since she entered the room, a small smile grazed her lips as she turned back to her book.

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The next fifty-one minutes passed a lot quicker than Rory had predicted. She walked out of the building as the sun poured out onto her face, illuminating her brilliant brunette hair as she made her way to the bus stop. She turned the corner to head down the street with her books in hand when suddenly she spotted Ian standing by the bus bench, pacing back and forth. The beating of her heart picked up speed and the constricting feeling in her chest developed once again. With a deep and shaky breath, she made her way over to the bench. The sound of her brown clogs hitting the pavement caught Ian's attention and he stopped pacing and looked up at Rory in one simultaneous motion.

"Hi," he said breathlessly, his hands becoming contorted as his fingers began to intertwine together.

"Hi," replied Rory hesitantly. There was a good fifteen feet between them, but Rory suddenly felt very claustrophobic.

"Um. I don't know what I'm doing right now Rory. But I couldn't go to class and stand up there and teach with you sitting right in front of me because I would of either gone nuts and jumped out the window or…something like that."

"I sat in the back today, if that makes you feel any better," Rory somehow managed to choke out in a semi-sardonic way.

"Do you realize how _insane_ this whole thing is? I can't do this… I will get _fired_."

"Nothing has happened," Rory mumbled.

"Yes and no. Something has happened; we have a connection. I don't know how and I don't know why, but we do. I feel like you're the girl I've always been looking for, just knowing you in the short time that I have. But God is spiting me by sending you to me in the form of one of my seventeen-year-old students. Do you realize how incredibly mean spirited that is? It's like the world is playing this mean trick on Mr. Ian Smith. Who knew my career choice would be so daunting? If only you were two years older or this happened two years from now, it could work. And I know it would. But right now, here, it's practically impossible… no it is impossible for anything to really happen between us. And I think it's possibly the cruelest form of punishment any one could ever think of. For the past couple weeks, my mind has been going a million miles a minute, trying to rid my brain of these thoughts. But I can't; my heart won't let me. It's calling out to me, telling me you're special; and that's no surprise to me because I knew it from that first moment in the hallway when I laid eyes on you. But my brain's tendency to be moral and enjoy my income is completely weighing me down. Plus, what would a scandal like that do to your high school years? It would completely ruin them. But yet, I can't let it go. And I have to… I know I do. I'm just going crazy with all these thoughts and I had to tell you. Yesterday at the bookstore there was an even stronger connection and I spent all night tossing and turning, trying to figure out what to do. And then the sun rose and I realized that nothing can come of it, not here and not now…" Ian ended his rant, breathless and looking pained. After a few moments of awkward silence, Rory finally spoke up.

"Talk about bad timing, huh?" she said, a smirk playing at her lips. Suddenly, Ian cracked up and doubled over in laughter.

"I waste an entire five minutes of my life, spilling my guts and that's all you have in reply? Jeez, Gilmore. You're supposed to be the smart one," he replied with equal sarcasm. Clear out of the blue, he dashed over to Rory and started to tickle her mercilessly. Rory yelped in shock, dropping her books to the ground. After a minute or so of a ruthless tickle fight on the side of the road, the two both stopped moving and Rory looked deep into his soulful eyes.

"What's meant to be will be," she whispered softly and breathlessly, her cheeks pink from the cold wind.

"Indeed," Ian replied in an equally quiet tone. He reached over and planted a firm kiss on the top of her forehead. Rory suddenly felt pure bliss from this gesture. Her bus roared to a stop beside them and Ian automatically released their embrace.

"Um, I'll see you in class tomorrow?" Rory commented in an unsure voice.

"Yup. In class tomorrow," he replied, scratching the back of his head.

"Bye, Mr. Smith," Rory said with a smile as she climbed the metal bus stairs.

"Bye, Rory," Ian replied with a wave, a grin taking over his face.

The bus doors closed shut and Rory took a seat. She watched out the window as the bus drove away and Ian stood there, staring. She sighed lightly and took the time to take in the feeling that was currently overtaking her – the feeling she couldn't really describe in words.

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**A/N2: **so, was it worth the wait? I sure hope so. REVIEW so that I know that at least someone is reading this. just one person conveying the pleasure they get from this would make me happier than you can imagine. so thank you. now get on with the reviewing :) thankssssssssss

**_ 33333333333333's_**


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